Congress - Taxes - Poor

WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of Christian leaders has urged Congress to continue tax credits for the working poor.

Bread for the World president Rev. David Beckmann says it would be wrong for lawmakers to not to extend the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit while keeping tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

The breaks were part of President Barack Obama's 2009 economic stimulus bill. Democrats say those tax breaks were meant to be permanent, but Republicans say they were only a short-term response to the recession.

Beckmann says the leaders are speaking out because the Bible teaches that the role of government is to protect widows, the poor and immigrants. Beckmann says some 15 million low-income workers and their children would be harmed if the credits aren't extended.

Other groups participating in the outreach including Sojourners, Christian Community Development Association, Faith in Public Life and NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobby group.